Astrological forecast for the week of December 26-January 1, 2024
This week I will be busy writing as well as closing out the year and looking ahead to 2024. I hope to have a forecast for 2024 posted this week, and then subscribers will receive the monthly Planetary Illuminations report in their email inboxes on January 1st.
Cancer Full Moon December 26. The Moon is full on the 26th in the sign of Cancer. Cancer is the Moon’s own sign, and under her influence we are invited to explore the depths of our own emotions and vulnerabilities. This Full Moon has a beautiful aspect of Jupiter (confidence and trust) to help expand the heart into a flowering of compassion and the stability of Jupiter in Taurus can aid in the process of rebalancing our emotions.
Neptune, Mars and Mercury. All is not rosy, however, as Mars (action) and Mercury (mind) will soon be colliding for the second time in 2023 (the first hit was October 29th in Mars’s own sign of Scorpio) and this dynamic is locked into the chart of the Full Moon. Mars can energize Mercury and inspire us to take action where needed, but it can also cause irritation and resistance. This may be especially evident in communication and cause interpersonal problems. This week’s conjunction is in Sagittarius which tends to seek solutions rather than become mired in conflict, but Mercury is retrograde so there may be some digging up of issues from the past. The final conjunction will occur in Capricorn to rebuild any structures which may have been weakened by the conflicts which came to light under the Mars/Mercury conjunction.
These problems and issues could be exacerbated by Neptune, the outer transformational planet which inspires us to discover a spiritual magic that transcends ordinary human life. Neptune’s influence can be enchanting and create a sense of oneness with the Divine Universe, but it can also lead us down a path where time and space begin to blur and the glamour of faerie magic distracts us from the situations at hand. Neptune forms a stressful square to both Mars and Mercury which will be in effect for much of the week and boosted by the lunar influence of the Full Moon. Expect to experience a wide array of emotions and try not to make too many important decisions, at least not impulsively, until later in the week when this influence fades.
Chiron turns direct. Chiron, planet of wounding and healing, has been virtually stationary throughout the month after a retrograde period, so if you (like me) are undergoing a Chiron transit (with planets between 10 and 20 degrees of the cardinal signs Aries, Libra, Cancer, Capricorn) you may have been feeling particularly emotional. Or perhaps the healing process is working and you are feeling a release of old patterns which may have caused you to feel stuck. In any case, Chiron will begin to move on in January but until the Chiron experience of squeezing out the pus and poisons will continue to do its work. 🤩
By the end of the week the more challenging aspects surrounding the Full Moon will have waned. The Moon will leave Cancer for Leo on December 28th at 7:23 pm which will significantly brighten the situation, and Venus leaving the intensity Scorpio for optimistic Sagittarius on December 29th will help to facilitate interpersonal situations and lead to happier outcomes.
How to benefit from stressful influences. I strongly believe that planets don’t cause problems – they simply reveal where problems exist. Some planetary conditions make it easier to look past difficult situations that are brewing, like ignoring a storm cloud forming in the sky instead of bringing a raincoat. Then a challenging planetary cycle comes along and that storm cloud begins a deluge and we are caught without an umbrella. We may sail through this week with no problems at all and simply feel the intensity of Mars and Mercury as a powerhouse of mental activity, with Neptune offering a blessing of imagination and inspiration. But if there are storm clouds forming in our life we will discover what lies within.
I hope you have a good week – I know the holidays are stressful for many and I wish you all the best for peace and joy. 💖
Hi Lynn,
I just want to say I appreciate your forecasts and thank you!! One suggestion I would have is to include degrees of where planets transiting are, so those of us with detailed knowledge of our natal charts can appreciatedhow strongly the transits will affect us. Just a thought….
Jan Voorhis
Thanks for your comment Jan. I try to keep the language simple enough for those readers who don’t have the detailed knowledge and I do provide the degrees for some of the more important cycles.